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Jharkhand BJP chief spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo launched a sharp attack on the Hemant Soren-led government over clashes between police and protesting job aspirants, comparing the state’s handling of the protests to “Hitler’s Nazi Germany".

Speaking to , Shah Deo accused the state government and police of using excessive force against students protesting over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations.

“This government is treading the path of Hitler. The scenes witnessed yesterday were so horrific that it did not feel like we were living in a democracy. It felt as though we were in Hitler’s Germany—in Nazi Germany—where JMM workers, armed with sticks, batons, and hockey sticks, were behaving like Nazi party cadres. The Jharkhand Police stood ready to assist them, much like the Nazi secret police," Shah Deo said.

He further alleged that women protesters were also targeted during the clashes and questioned whether the state had turned into a “police state".

“Students were assaulted, and attempts were made to tear women’s clothes. Article 19(1)(A) of the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest. Have you imposed a dictatorship here, or has this become a police state? The way you beat up students who were protesting peacefully and engaged in such brutality marks the beginning of the final countdown for the Chief Minister’s tenure…" Shah Deo said.

He also announced that the BJP would step up its support for the protesting students.

“The BJP has now resolved that if you raise a baton against students, we will stand in your way first. Until now, our support was merely moral; from this point on, we will take to the streets to support the students…" he said.

#WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand: On the clash between students and the police, State BJP Chief Spokesperson, Pratul Shah Deo says, “…This government is treading the path of Hitler. The scenes witnessed yesterday were so horrific that it did not feel like we were living in a… pic.twitter.com/DoTvjAMWMe— (@) August 22, 2026

The protests are linked to a dispute over Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations. The state government had cancelled 22 recruitment examinations on August 19 over alleged malpractice, while ordering a CID probe into 17 other exams. The move sparked fresh protests by candidates who had cleared some of the cancelled examinations and feared losing their appointments.

The protests intensified after the Jharkhand High Court stayed several government notifications cancelling examinations and appointments linked to the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination.

On Friday, clashes broke out between police and job aspirants in Ranchi during a protest organised under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch. Police said they resorted to mild force after protesters allegedly violated the designated route.

Three FIRs were subsequently registered at Ranchi’s Kotwali police station against 14 named people and more than 200 unidentified persons in connection with the clash, including allegations of obstructing government work and clashing with police.

Further FIRs were lodged in Giridih and Hazaribag following clashes involving protesting job aspirants, taking the number of people named or booked in connection with the recent incidents to more than 900 unidentified people in those districts.

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, however, rejected the BJP’s allegations. JMM leader Manoj Pandey described the agitation as politically engineered and accused opposition leaders and coaching institutes of misleading students.

The protests in Jharkhand could impact upcoming state elections, as political parties are already recalibrating their strategies to engage with young voters, whose involvement is considered crucial in determining election outcomes.

The Jharkhand BJP will increase its support for protesting students. Previously, the BJP called for a statewide 'bandh' (shutdown) to protest police action against students.